Users of media enabled mobile devices sometimes choose to assign various ring tones or thumbnail photographs with a particular contact that may be stored in a contacts file on the user's mobile device. For example, a user may wish to assign a picture to a particular contact, as well as a customized ring tone. Accordingly, the user may access the contact information stored on the mobile device, and assign a ring tone that is stored on the mobile device, as well as a picture that is stored on the mobile device to the particular contact.
Users of media enabled mobile devices also sometimes choose to send messages including media files to other media enabled devices. For example, a first user may take a photograph using a media enabled device and wish to share that photograph with a second user having a media enabled device. This can be accomplished by transmitting the photo to the second user's media enabled device using multimedia messaging service (MMS). MMS allows users to transmit photos and videos, for example, between mobile devices that are media enabled. MMS also allows users to transmit messages including media files from a media enabled device to a computer.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2008/0034220 by Abu-Amara et al. discloses a method for using entertainment files as ring tones. The method includes playing a part of an original entertainment file while an incoming call signal is acknowledged. The method also includes using a local encryption key to encrypt the original entertainment file and form a second entertainment file to be stored on the communication device. Such a method and system requires the communication device to include a memory unit, a processor, a media player, and a transceiver. This is not uncommon, and is desirable in order to play media files. This type of application, however, only allows a user to customize their own communications device with media files.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,698 to Hong discloses a mobile video telephone with an automatic answering function that allows a user to send a distinct outgoing message to a specified person. More specifically, the mobile video telephone determines whether there is an automatic answering mode upon receipt of an incoming call. If an automatic answering mode is set, the video telephone sends an answering screen, including a password input request message. Upon receiving a valid password, the mobile video telephone sends a video massage associated with the password.
There exists a need to provide a system that allows a user to send and receive media messages that is easy to manage, and that does not require excessive storage space for such messages. There also exists a need for a system that allows users to transfer media between various media enabled devices and portals, i.e., cellular telephones, wireless devices, public exchange telephones, computers, social networking websites, etc., regardless of the format of the media.